Launch of Flanders New York Accelerator

January 30, 2018

On 29 January, the first edition of Flanders New York Accelerator (FNYA) was officially launched at the offices of Flanders Investment & Trade in New York. Between January and April six Flemish start-ups receive intensive coaching and guidance in New York when they take their first steps on the American market. Minister Muyters (Innovation) awarded a subsidy of 250,000 euros to this pilot project.

FNYA is a collaboration between Flanders Investment & Trade, imec and Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator, the leading accelerator in New York. The intention is to get successful Flemish start-ups faster to the US. Now they often try to conquer the European market first, while their chances in the US are much greater. Co-founder of the initiative Catalina Daniels: "We have top talent and top entrepreneurs in Flanders, who can realize their real breakthrough in a market like the US."

The programme already had a first success. The participating start-ups Yields and Ontoforce raised respectively 1.25 and 4.3 million euros to finance their expansion in the US.